The
first phase of the sex response cycle where aging women continued to
have desire and enjoy interest in sexual activity but this process may
take them longer to achieve due to lack of vaginal lubrication. Aging
women also produce less estrogen in the body, estrogen is the woman’s
sex hormone and lack of estrogen can lead to vaginal dryness. Aging can
also affect muscle tone in the urethral tissues which can lead to
urinary tract infection.

During this phase some women experience lower level of sexual desire,
clitoris becoming less sensitive, and lack of vaginal lubrication. Lack
of
vaginal lubrication
can cause painful intercourse and this can be treated with hormone
replacement therapy and using vaginal lubricants during sexual
intercourse.

Plateau Phase

During this phase aging women
continued to enjoy the ability to achieve sexual arousal after
excitement phase but the intensity of sexual arousal is reduced. The
length and width of the vagina also decrease in size reducing the
capability of the vagina to expand during sexual arousal. The clitoris
and vaginal tissues continued to become engorge with blood but it does
not swell as much.

Orgasm Phase

During this phase aging
women continued to experience orgasm but the intensity of the orgasm is
reduced and they also experience less frequent orgasm. Some may not be
able to achieve orgasm at all.

Resolution Phase

The final
phase of the cycle where the sexual system return to their normal state
happen more quickly for aging women because of lack of vaginal
lubrication during sexual arousal. Sexual response in aging women
varies as some may continued to experience enjoyment in sexual activity,
some may experience decrease sexual activity and some may have no
interest in sexual activity. Aging women who are sexually active have
healthier vagina than those who are sexually inactive. For those that
seek medical treatment,
hormone replacement therapy
can be use to treat this problem.

Sexual Response Cycle in Aging Men

Excitement Phase

During
this phase of sexual response cycle aging men continued to experience
interest in sexual desire that lead to sexual arousal. Men will always
continue to achieve erection throughout their life time but achieving
erection will always take longer and require more effort for aging men.
Some may require more time for manual stimulation and some may prefer
oral stimulation to help them achieve their slow erection.

It is
a normal process for aging men to take longer to achieve erection and
this is not considered to be impotent. Despite taking longer to achieve
erection aging men experience enjoyment in their sexual activity that
continues to function as always. Some of the health problems that
interfere with their slow erection may include high blood pressure,
heart disease, and diabetes.

Plateau Phase

During this
phase aging men continued to enjoy the ability to achieve erection from
sexual arousal. Men achieve full erection when the penis become
engorges with blood but the intensity of sexual arousal is reduced.
Aging men are able to stay on this phase much longer before orgasm
because they do not experience as much muscle tension when erections
occur. This prolong period before ejaculation allow both men and his
partner to enjoy greater length of pleasure during sexual intercourse
and his ability to control ejaculation.

Orgasm Phase

During
this phase aging men continued to experience orgasm after plateau phase
but the intensity of the orgasm is reduced. The ability to experience
orgasm is important for most aging men. The amount of seminal fluid
expelled during ejaculation is greatly reduced with old age.

Resolution Phase

Aging
men experience resolution phase very quickly right after orgasm.
Refractory period after orgasm is also lengthens and this could range
from several hours to days depending on other health issues that come
with old age. During this period he is not able to achieve erection
from further sexual stimulation or return to orgasm phase.